Sudan army accused of killing hundreds in deadly Darfur airstrike

A Sudanese war monitor has accused the military of killing hundreds in a devastating airstrike on a market in the western Darfur region on Monday.

The Emergency Lawyers group, which documents human rights abuses by both sides in Sudan’s ongoing civil war, described the bombing of Tur’rah market as a “horrific massacre” that also left hundreds wounded. The group condemned the attack, calling for accountability from the warring factions.

Videos circulating on social media, including some posted by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), showed the aftermath of the strike. Charred bodies and smoking ruins of market stalls painted a grim picture of the destruction. The RSF, which controls much of Darfur, blamed the Sudanese armed forces for indiscriminately targeting civilians.

In response to the accusations, a military spokesperson denied any intentional attacks on civilians, asserting that the army had only targeted “legitimate hostile elements.” However, both the Sudanese military and the RSF have faced repeated allegations of indiscriminate shelling in civilian areas throughout the conflict.

The civil war, which erupted in April 2023, has plunged Sudan into a humanitarian crisis, with thousands killed and millions displaced. The latest attack in Darfur further underscores the escalating violence in a region that has long been plagued by ethnic and factional conflicts.

International human rights organizations have urged an independent investigation into the attack and called on both sides to adhere to international humanitarian law. Meanwhile, the United Nations and African Union have renewed efforts to broker a ceasefire, though previous attempts have largely failed to hold.

As the conflict rages on, the people of Darfur continue to bear the brunt of a war marked by widespread suffering and devastation.